New Year’s Resolutions for 2017

New Year’s Resolutions for 2017

With only a few days left until the year comes to a close, I have been making New Year’s resolutions for 2017. Some of these are personal goals like completing the Appalachian Mountain Club’s 4,000 footer list for New Hampshire (only fifteen more to go), but several of them directly involve our life on the farm. Identifying the projects I want to complete gets me one step closer to fulfilling them, right?

Raise More Chickens

We got our first four chicks last May and have loved watching them grow. Plus the benefit of having farm fresh eggs every day! I plan to buy a few additional chicks of different breeds this spring. I will include an Araucana to add some color to the white, beige and brown eggs in our nesting boxes. We have a nice sized shelter for our chickens which can easily support the addition of some new hens.

Create New Vegetable Gardens

There is a spot in the front of the farmhouse where I would like to add a raised bed. We have several flower beds in this area and I don’t want to disrupt them. Hopefully I can still create a space large enough to grow 8-12 paste tomato plants. There is also an area in the lower paddock that would be a great pumpkin patch. If I utilize this space I will need to add some invisible fencing to protect the area from the animals. My existing vegetable garden is ready to go for the spring!

Build a Greenhouse

The previous owners had a dog kennel that is still attached to the garage. We have never used this and have already repurposed the door as part of our chicken coop. I would like to use the rest of the structure as a type of greenhouse where I can grow some plants and shield my seedlings from the cold in the spring since our last frost date is not until the end of May.

Repair Fencing

We were boarding a horse last year who loved to “crib” on the wood fences. This compiled with some rot has left several sections of the paddocks in need of some serious repairs. Thankfully we also have an invisible fence and animals who don’t try and break out, but it is still a priority.

I am looking forward to tackling these New Year’s resolutions for 2017 once the snow melts!